Single-malt scotch suggestions

mediakill · Post by **mediakill** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 5:49 am

Just got a bottle of glenlivet and was wondering if anyone had any comments/ suggestions on single-malts to add to my collection. thanks

Bluto · Post by **Bluto** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:34 am

Oh, so many to add. Lately, I've been drinking a lot of Talisker 10. I'm also a big fan of the Dalmore Cigar Malt, and Glenfiddich 12 year. My best advice: get a bottle or two from each of the different regions. That will give you a good idea as to what you like. Then, you can go wild exploring that area.

Leftboston · Post by **Leftboston** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 10:35 am

The Dalmores are good and not pricey at <$30. I like the Balvenie Doublewood and if I have $75 to burn, the Balvenie 21 yr Portwood is excellent. I like the scoth flavors from wine casks so sherry or port woods are my favs. The Taliskers and Laphoigs are more smokey. I think the Glenlivets and Glenfiddich's and Glenmorangies are OK but overpriced for their name.

Post by **Badfellow** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 10:43 am

Oban.

***** · Post by ***** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 1:30 pm

Second the Oban. Bunnahabahain and Aberlour are personal favorites. Single malt is such a broad category that you may want to be more specific as to your preferences: Highland, Lowland, Islay, Speyside, etc. There are several planes of flavor to consider regarding finer Scotch.

Leftboston · Post by **Leftboston** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 2:05 pm

Oban is yummy. Dahlwhinnie is also along that same vein

mattgrowler · Post by **mattgrowler** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 3:39 pm

I like smokey so Lagavulin is my favorite, followed by talisker and bowmore. Great stuff if I have the money. If not I just mix cheapo-blended with soda or amaretto (AKA a "Godfather"). 'Cause hey, we all gotta get bent on the cheap every now and again.

Leftboston · Post by **Leftboston** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 4:21 pm

I like a nice cheap plastic bottle of scotch with soda now and then.

greatzot · Post by **greatzot** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 6:47 pm

Ardbeg 18 year old, baby a meal in a glass, so peaty and smooth you need a knife and fork.

mr.dirty pants · Post by **mr.dirty pants** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:55 pm

Laphroaig. It will set you back a few but it will never let you down.

Dandyshanks · Post by **Dandyshanks** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 3:16 pm

From my 3 months living in Scotland I'll say that my favorite was Edradour. That is some delicious stuff. Also, it's the smallest distillery in Scotland. Man...I need to move back to Scotland. *sigh*

headlessparrot · Post by **headlessparrot** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 12:16 am

I'll second the Talisker 10yo. One of my roommates and I carefully plan our single malt purchases so we can try as much as possible, and that is definitely the tastiest we've tried so far.

Other good ones, though:

Highland Park 12yo (a good all-rounder, though nothing spectacular)
Glenmorangie 12yo Port Finish (quite, quite good, though its probably worth trying the standard Glenmorangie expression first)

The girlfriend recently bought me a bottle of The Balvenie 12yo Doublewood. It's good... as most single malts are, but I'm not totally sure if I've come around to it as much as I have the Talisker or Glenmorangie. The Glenlivet's a good marker for single malts, but pretty unimpressive on the whole. And that... that's the sum of my single malt experience.

Martini Time · Post by **Martini Time** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:32 am

DrDrinkBastard wrote:Second the Oban.

I third the Oban. There's nothing quite like a 14 year old.....

Scotch.

It sits squarely between a Speyside such as Glenkeith, and an Islay like Lagavulin or Laphroaig.

Plowedboy · Post by **Plowedboy** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 8:10 am

Highland Park 18 is about as good as widely available (non Islay) single-malts get. The 12-year old is great, too.

mattgrowler · Post by **mattgrowler** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 12:22 pm

mr.dirty pants wrote:Laphroaig. It will set you back a few but it will never let you down.

That stuff is really good. I'd put it up there with my favorites but it's not salty like Lagavulin---that stuff, Jesus, it's like tasting the very sea it was aged near. Absolutely amazing. Too expensive, so it's only for when times are good.